Why the Country is So Divided: Different Narratives

There are two very different narratives going on in this country, plus hundreds more. The two most dominant right now post-election are liberal vs. conservative. The liberal’s narrative accuses everything the conservatives say as being false, while the conservative’s narrative accuses the liberals viewpoint as being false.

As an independent, I see both the truth and the propaganda coming from both sides. The quotes taken out of context, the heavily edited soundbites, the slanted takes on what someone said or did based on their assumptions and world view. You read an article or watch a news report, and then go to the original source and see how they twisted it to fit their bias. One side claims their candidate walks on water, while the other side claims they can’t swim, while the media pretends to be unbiased but really isn’t.

It’s no wonder this country is so divided. Each side receives different half-truths and propaganda that they believe is true, and then think anyone who doesn’t believe the same half lies as they do is stupid. It’s really messed up if you think about it. It’s no longer about what is accurate and what is best for this country as a whole (although each side thinks that’s what they’re doing), it’s more about which side is going to win the cultural war. Both sides have great ideas, and both sides have an ugly side, and both seem to think their rights are more important than other people’s rights. That thought process, by itself goes against the very concept of Rights.

The only way this country will be whole again is if we start getting back to the truth and start listening to other people’s perspectives, because only seeing your side is only part of the story and part of the truth.